Hypodermic syringe



July 10, 1928.

W. P. ANTHONY HYPODERMIC SYRINGE Filed Aug. 19, 1924 FIG-.5

. B ,lo W

Patented July 10, 1928.

AUNlrlazD STATES l 1,676,881 Pa'rrau'ry OFFIcE.

WENDELL ANTHONY, OE RID'LEY PARK, PENN SYLVANIA,v AVSSIGrNOB. TO THE MYNOL CHEMICAL COMPANY, CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

y HYPODERMIC SYRINGE.

Application lled August 19, 1924;. Serial No. 732,898.

My invention has for its object 'the con struction of a hypodermic syringe 1n which the usual cylinder and piston feature 1s entirely dispensed with and a yielding metallic 5 body employed which may be squeezed to force the material through the needle, the collapsible body being normally filled with the chemical luid which is to be 1n]ected into the patient through the needle; and further, in having the collapsible body provided with a detachable cap and needle attached thereto, said needle extending inwardly `so that when the cap is forced down into position upon the nipple or neck of the .body the inner end of the needle will penetrate a closure thereof and be put into communication with the contents of the said collapsible body, whereby the body becomes the normal container of the fluid and needles of various lengths and sizes, according to the work to be performed, may be interchangeably adapted to the same body.

Heretofore, collapsible bodies or capsules havev been employed in connection with hypodermic syringes, but in those cases the needle was permanently attached to the end of the body or an extension thereof and the means of attachment so made as toprovide a normally open communication between the interior of the body and the needle, the needle being normally sealed with a wire or stylet and temporarily enclosed bya glass cap enclosing the needle and neck of the body, with an intermediate temporary sealing or rubber bushing; saidA glass cap, sealing rubber bushing, and stylet being removed when the instrument is to be employed for delivering an injection. When used once, the instrument, including the needle. is thrown away as waste.

The objection to an instrument of this character is that needles of different lengths and vdiameters are required for different treatments and the physician is required to use judgment; consequently, it will be necessary for the physician to have an additional quantity of the capsules and their attached needles of different sizes. By my improvement. the proper length and diameter of needle can readily be selected and quickly applied to the collapsible body and in vdoing so, the'capsule is perforated for providing communication between the canal of the needle and the fluid contents of the capsule.

When the operation is completed, the needle may be detached from the spent capsule, the latter treated as waste and the needle steril1zed at the convenience of the physician before being used again.

My invention also includes detachable means adapted to fit over the collapsible capsule or body to -constitutea detachable handle portion arranged to forcibly press upon lateral extensions adjacent to the nipple end of the capsule, whereby adequate power can be applied for inserting the needle into the patient without danger of eX- pressing the Huid contents of the capsule before the insertion is made. The detachable portion may then be removed and the pressure applied to'the collapsible capsule for expressing the Huid therefrom through the needle.

My invention also consists of further improvements, which, together with those above stated, are fully described hereinafter and more fully defined in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a complete instrument ready for actual use, shown on an enlarged scale; Fig. 2 is an end view of the instrument with the needle and cap removed; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the cap and needle before being applied to the syringe body; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the rubber plug for the nipple of the syringe; Eig. 5

is a perspective view of a modified form of handle for holding the syringe body; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the syringe ready for use, and Fig. 7 is a. sectional view of a modification.

2 is the capsule or body portion for containing the Huid and comprises a more or less rigid head portion 3 terminating in a neck or nipple 4 whose recessed portion 5 is sealed at the inner end by a .thin perforable diaphragm or wall 6, preferably integral with the metal of the head of the ca sule. The capsule als a whole is made o soft ductile alloy and the body part is especially susceptible of being collapsed under the pressure of the fingers and thumb, similar to containers for tooth pastes and other substances well known in the market, the capsule being filled from the bottom and sealed by folding over the flattened layers thereof, as at Q, in the ordinary way.

As va relatively small quantity of medicinal fluid is required to be contained in the capsule, it is best that the same shall be of relatively small diameter as compared to the len th to make it less bulky and more easily andled. For this reason, the diameter of the capsule body may be made of very slightly larger diameter than the diameter of the needle holding cap, though I do not limit myself to this proportion.

The nipple 4 is preferably screw threaded upon its perimeter and fitting over the same is a cap 8 which is similarly screw threaded or formed to closely engage' the nipple. Ordinarily, the joint would be a screw joint, as is customary in instruments of this class. The recess 5 within the nipple is filled with a plug of rubber 7 which, if desired, may be of somewhat greater length than the depth of the recess in the nipple, so that when theA cap is fully screwed upon the nipple, the rubber may be slightly compressed to form a more perfect seal when the diaphragm portion 6' is perforated by the inwardly directed needle 11 carried with the cap. n

As shown, the cap which is detachable from the nipple and capsule is provided with a permanently and centrally affiired hypodermic needle 9 which may project to any length above the cap, as may be desired. The needle 9 is continued through the cap 8 in the inward extension 11 which projects' beyond the open end of the cap to a distance sufficient to extend through the rubber plug 7 and perforate the thin diaphragm 6 to provide a direct communication with the fluid lcontent of the capsule. The rubber plug 7 may be provided on its outer end with a centrally arranged recess, as indicated at 7, to centralize the end` of the inward needle extension 11 when applying thecap and causing the needle to be forced through the rubber plug and diaphragm 6. The recess 7L may be simply a hair line incision entirely through the plug without removal of material, as indicated at 7b in Fig. 4, -so as to reduce to a minimum the amount of resistance to the needle extension 11 when applying the cap, and especially prior to the threads of the cap engaging the threads of the nipple. Furthermore, the inner part of the cap surrounding the base of needle eX- tension 11 may be provided with a coneshaped collar around the needle, as at 8, which, when the cap is screwed fully home, assists in compressing the rubber and at the same time stiifens the connection if the needle 11 with the body of the cap 8. The elasticity of the rubber 7 or whatever equivalent packing may be employed, is in its compressed condition within the socket or recess 5 and about the needle portion 11 sufficient to prevent any leakage. Even the close fitting of the needle 11 in the aperture which it forms in the diaphragm 6 would of itself make a fairly tight joint so long as the outer surface thereof was supported either by the packing 7 or any body which was positively or indirectly sustained within the recess about the needle by the cap 8 and against which the diaphragm 6 may press.

By reason of the fact that thecap, together with the needle, is removable and may be substituted b another similar cap having a needle of a ifferent length or diameter, according to the use of the syringe, not only is the cost of the needle saved by permitting it to be sterilized and used over and over again, but provides the physician at once with an adaptation of the proper needle t0 the capsule and thereby enables a minimum number of capsules necessary .to be carried with him in emergency cases. Furthermore, by employing a replaceable needle and cap, in the manner which has been set out in this application, it is manifest that the capsules are hermetically sealed and may be preserved for any length of time before being used, be-

cause until the cap is applied the sealing diaphragm '6 is imperforate and consequently there is no loutlet for uid or contents from the interior containing space of the capsule.

The amount of pressure required to be put upon the needle for insuring its entering the body of the patient varies with the particular operation and in some cases very considerable pressure is required. As the body of the capsule is very frail and collapsible, it is desirable that means shall be provided for applying this pressure without injury to the capsule. This is accomplished by the following expedient.

The hem. ortion 3 of the capsule is, as before stated? of more rigid construction than the fluid containing body part and, therefore, may be grasped with the finger and thumbwith considerable pressure without injury. To prevent the finger and thumb slidin overfthe smooth surface of the capsule, t e same may be provided with lateral extensions 13 against which the iinger and thumb may rest when applying pressure to the needle. In cases where the insertion is not easily made and where considerable pressure is necessary, a'detachable handle portion 15 maybe placed over' the soft capsule and bev received in the recesses 14 on the lateral projections 13 on the head.

This handle portion 15 may be of thin liorht i completed and it is desired to throw away the capsule itself after separating the cap and its needle.

As a protection t the needles 9 and 11 of the cap 8, when being carried or handled, they may be shielded b removable parts, as lndicated in Fig. 3'. n this case, 16 is a glass tube closed at its outer end and containing a rubber bushing 17 at its open end which may frictionally engage the cap or needle thereof, to shield the needle 9 from contamination. Similarly, a detachable plug over the needle 11.

18 may be screwed into the cap as a shield When the cap is to be applied, the plug 18 is removed and the cap then applied to the nipple of the capsule. When it has been firmly attached, the glass tube 16 is then slipped off and the instrument is ready for use. f-

In Fig. 7, I have shown a modified construction of the body of the receptaclewhich enables the projecting portions 13 to be omitted and recesses 13a in theA side walls to be provided for gripping with the fingers when thrusting the needle into `the iesh. In this case,'the metal head portion 3"l is made thicker than in the construction shown in Fig. l to provide metal for the recesses 3, but otherwise, the general construction of the diaphragm 6 and the neck or nipple 4 are substantially the same. As a matter of fact, the upper lateral extensions or shoulders 13b of the recessed portions 13a constitute the equivalents of the projecting portions of Fig. 1.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a novel and useful construction which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable, and while I have in the present instance shown anddescribed the preferred embodiment thereof which has' been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that I do not restrict myself to the details, as the same are susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A hypodermic syringe, comprising a capsule of soft collapsible material for containing the fluid in a hermetically sealed conditionsaid capsule provided on its end with a thin perforable diaphragm. combined with a cap arranged to be detachably secured to the end of the capsule over the perforable diaphragm and provided with an outwardly projecting needle and an inwardly projecting needle whose canals are in continuous communication, and wherein further, the length of the inwardly projecting needle is sufficient to extend through the perforable diaphragm into the Huid containing space of the capsule when the cap is secured in operable position upon the capsule, and wherein the capsuleis rovided with a head portion of greater thickness to 'embody a more rigid construction than the collapsible body part and said increased thickness shaped on diametrically opposite sides to provide shoulder portions to receive the thrust. of the fingers when forcing the needle into the flesh of the patient.

2. A hypodermic syringe, comprising a capsule of soft collapsible material for containing the fluid in a hermetically sealed condition, said capsule provided on its end with a thin perforable diaphragm, combined with a cap arranged to be detachably secured to the end of the capsule and over the perforable diaphragm and provided with an outwardly projecting needle and an inwardly projecting needle whose canals are in continuous communication and in which the length of the inwardly projecting needle is sufficient to extend through the perforable diaphragm into the fluid containing space of the capsule when the cap is secured in operable position upon the ca sule, and wherein the capsule is provide with an annular nipple arranged about the diaphragm portion and filled with a rubber plug having a centralizing recess at its outer end for guiding the inner needle ofthe cap, and the cap provided withy a screw. thread for engaging the nipple for forcing the needle through the rubber plug and diaphragm when rotated.

3. A hypodermic syringe, comprising a capsule of soft collapsible material for containing the fluid in a hermetically sealed condicap arranged to be detachably secured to the j end of thecapsule and over the perforablc diaphragm and provided with an outwardly projecting needleand an inwardly projecting needle whose canals are in continuous communication and in which the length of the inwardly projecting needle is sufcient to extend through the perforable diaphragm into the fluid containing space of the capsule when the cap is secured in operable position upon the capsule, and wherein the capsule is provided with a head of'greatly more rigid construction than the collapsible body and provided with lateral extensions.

4. A hypodermic syringe, comprising a capsule of soft collapsible material for containing the fluid in a hermetically sealed lcondition, said ca sule provided on its end with a Ithin perfora le diaphragm, combined with a bine into the fluid containing space of the capsule when the cap is secured in operable posi- I tion upon the capsule, and wherein the capsule is provided with a head of more rigid construction than the collapsible body and also dprovided with lateral extensions, comfit over the capsule and provide with with a detachable handle portion of rigid construction of a length adayted to' shoulder portions adapted to fit against the l0 lateral projections on the head portion of the capsule, whereby pressure may be forcibly applied to the capsule when inserting the needle into the patient.

In testimony of which invention, I here- 15 unto set my hand.

WENDELL 15. ANTHONY. 

